Chinese media released an inaccurate analysis regarding Son Heung-min's slump.

On the 1st (Korean time), Chinese 'Sohu' stated, "Asia's greatest footballer Son Heung-min is facing the risk of being ousted from Tottenham as he struggles. There are various reasons, but the core issue of Son's slump is the absence of Harry Kane. The lack of Kane has decreased the team's scoring ability."

Son Heung-min is wavering both on and off the field this season. On the field, he has recorded 10 goals and 10 assists in 36 matches due to the effects of a hamstring injury and a grueling schedule. He has not scored a goal in the last 9 matches. While these numbers are not bad, criticisms arise because it is Son Heung-min.

His future at Tottenham is also uncertain. Son Heung-min was originally set to have his contract expire at the end of this season. However, instead of signing a new long-term contract, Tottenham only activated a one-year extension option hastily last January. This has led to ongoing speculation that Son Heung-min could leave the team this summer.

While he currently leads the team in offensive points, he has also been pointed out as a scapegoat for Tottenham's struggles. There have even been ongoing criticisms of his leadership. Commentator Jamie O'Hara, who has played only a handful of matches for Tottenham, directly criticized Son Heung-min's leadership.

In a way, it seems the club has chosen an easy route of creating legends instead of tackling the issues of mismanagement and tactical problems. The media compared Son Heung-min with his peer Mohamed Salah (Liverpool). ESPN reported, "Son Heung-min and Salah were born just three weeks apart in the summer of 1992. Both are legendary figures at their respective clubs. However, one is having the best season of his life, leading Liverpool as overwhelming favorites for the Premier League (PL) title, while the other is questioning his 'untouchable' status at Tottenham for the first time in his career."

ESPN also noted, "Some Tottenham fans have begun to wonder if Son Heung-min can still be their driving force in North London, even with a decade ahead. His professional and personal responsibilities seem to have been impacted by Tottenham's troubles this season. One insider said, 'Perhaps the biggest concern is not that Son Heung-min is not scoring, but that he is not smiling.'"

In fact, Son Heung-min is reportedly hesitant to renew his contract with Tottenham. Recently, the British 'The Times' explained, "Tottenham wants Son Heung-min to retire at the club. However, they have not been able to convince him to extend his contract, which will have only one year left come July," indicating there has been no progress in the contract negotiations.

ESPN also reported, "Son Heung-min is a very dedicated professional player and appears to be troubled by the team’s collective issues. He is not a player who causes a scene. However, sources say that the player has felt disappointed about the lack of discussions regarding a new contract. Instead, Tottenham decided to activate the one-year extension option."

The media added, "For a financially prudent club like Tottenham, it is logical to exclude all emotions from the decision and reassess after 12 months. However, this is a difficult situation for many fans worried about Son Heung-min's future."

Ultimately, Son Heung-min appears to be struggling with contract negotiations due to Tottenham's lukewarm attitude. Given his 10 years of dedication to Tottenham, it is understandable that he finds the club's treatment disappointing. The speculation about Son Heung-min's contract extension has been circulating for two years, yet it is still delayed.

Additionally, Son Heung-min is once again linked with a transfer to Bayern Munich. Spanish 'Fichajes' reported, "Son Heung-min is seriously considering a move to Bayern, and Bayern is also planning to strengthen its attacking power by acquiring him," emphasizing that Son Heung-min is evaluated as a player who aligns "perfectly with the team's tactical philosophy."

In fact, the previously departed Kane and Dier are likely to win the league title with Bayern. This could be an opportunity for Son Heung-min to win a trophy, something he has never achieved at Tottenham. Tottenham has also been trophy-less since winning the League Cup in the 2007-2008 season for 17 years.

The Tottenham fanbase also does not oppose the idea of Son Heung-min transferring to Bayern. 'Tottenham News' stated, "With Bayern looking to strengthen their attacking options, a return of Son Heung-min to Germany could be prominently discussed this summer," adding that "If Son Heung-min leaves for Bayern, following Kane and Eric Dier, he would certainly be departing amidst the blessings of all Tottenham fans."

The speculation about Son Heung-min's transfer to Bayern was also fervent last December. At that time, when Kane was asked which Tottenham player he would like to bring to Bayern, he responded, "I don’t think Tottenham fans would be very pleased with this answer. But I would choose Son Heung-min."

Kane added at the time, "Son Heung-min and I have a really good relationship. We formed a great partnership at Tottenham and became good friends off the field as well. I believe we could do quite well together in the Bundesliga."

Son Heung-min and Kane were the Premier League's top attacking duo during their time at Tottenham. Together, they combined for an impressive 47 goals in the league, surpassing the Frank Lampard-Didier Drogba (36 goals) duo, setting the record for the most combined goals in PL history. Son Heung-min recorded 24 goals and 23 assists, while Kane had 23 goals and 24 assists.

Sohu highlighted Son Heung-min's season in a special article. The outlet stated, "The greatest Asian player of all time is not having a great season this time. There are issues with his condition. He even took breaks during matches against Newcastle and Manchester City."

The media stated, "Moreover, manager Ange Postecoglou is known for his strong pressing tactics. This style suits Son Heung-min as well. However, he is too old now," noting that "the pressing tactics of manager Postecoglou could be challenging for Son Heung-min, who is already managing a strenuous schedule."

They added, "The absence of Kane is significant. Kane was a cornerstone of Tottenham, and his absence has placed an even greater burden on Son Heung-min. Moreover, Son Heung-min and Kane were close partners both on and off the field, and with Kane gone, Son Heung-min’s burden as a central striker has increased."

It is true that Son Heung-min has had to play more as a central striker due to Kane's absence. However, considering that Son scored 17 goals in the 2023-2024 season right after Kane departed, this analysis seems puzzling. Nonetheless, Sohu emphasized, "Kane's absence has increased the burden on Son Heung-min."

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